Two Swords Diverged in a Yellow Road
by MathBlade
Summary: Mulan left Aurora and joined the Merry Men when Aurora told her that her true love was the prince and she was having their child. Heart broken she has put her soul into being a Merry Man but little did she know one mission could change all of that. One mission could bring her into love with Joan of Arcadia Not AU as of chapter 1 but may become AU if new episodes deviate from this.


_Two Swords Diverged in a Yellow Road_

_About 6 months after Pan's Storybrooke's curse was lifted by Regina_

It had been God knew how long since she had joined Robin's Merry Men and a couple of months since she was a separate mini-tribe with Patrick and Julio. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, standard stuff. This was supposed to be just like any other scouting mission to make sure the new revolutionists were not being hurt by the rich Empire. Strapping on her armor, she pressed her hands against her shoulders and legs making sure it was set. The last piece of her costume, the mask, she grew to hate. She wished it was more inclusive, but alas, it could not be so. For the same reasons her identity was secret in her former land. Being a female leader is a perceived weakness. No matter what.

Alas, it was not meant to be. Heading out with two of the men, she crouched down across the barren land once more to see where Emperor's Army now went forth. The ironic nature of the situation did not surprise her. She wanted to escape the Army more than anything but now she is spying on it. Attempting to find its weakness. Attempting to find the answer to stopping 30 hooves on horseback creating an earthquake as they marched…The three Merry "Men" looked at each other and realized what they would do. What they'd have to do to protect the riches of the people.

"King's Indian Defense" The three seem to say in unison. The slower of the two scouts, Paul, then gets the attraction of the horde, in his typical "Look at me" flair. Mulan took up the center and moments later, Julio, the final guard stood about 100 yards east.

The enemy seemed prepared though, only four of the men diverted into a brick wall to stop the intruders, shouting back to the group "Intruders to the North!". Swords dueled for what seemed to be agonizingly slow minutes. Both groups showed signs of fatigue and the trio was no sooner about to break in. Shifting, Mulan tried to counter the two men who had flanked her, but alas it was not fast enough. As she turned to block the sword had already gotten by her and was about to slash her. Mulan braced for impact and instead an ear splitting clank brought her out of her reverie.

_What the….? _Mulan twisted to face the one foe she was better at. How did she stop it? It was not possible she was fighting the guy in front yet there was fighting agonizingly close to her. Strafing right, she attempted to create some space but it was as if this figure was literally tied to her back. Unable to see the figure, she just heard the clank clank clank. Clank clank clank. Over and over again.

"Just worry about the front!" An obviously female voice ordered as if she knew that she was worried about and calculating a war on two fronts. Having no real choice, she ignored her back flank and then easily took out the gentleman in front of her. Paul and Julio sprinted back to help Mulan as the original plan dictated. Instead of a harried Mulan, they see a figure in full plate sprinting into the woods near the town, with Mulan letting the person go.

As Julio and Paul start to change course, Mulan stops them with a stomp in the ground. Their universal order for stop. "We have bigger fish to fry and the Empire will be here soon." She wanted to see who was brave enough to be in full plate and female and why she wasn't afraid of being turned in. Oh how she desperately wanted to believe she could be herself. Alas, it tore her apart to do the "right" thing. During the moment of opportunity, the trio got on three of the "abandoned" horses and snuck into town. Screaming at the top of his lungs Paul yelled "The Empire is coming! The Empire is coming!" Julio, smircking at the other scout rather playfully, commented, "Why Revere? I think that's your best shout yet you big bear!"

**FLASHBACK**

Mulan recalled the first night she had dared to begin to talk to the two Merry Men. She couldn't do it for the longest time. It reminded her too much of Aurora and her pain. They were horrible at being stealthy, she'd have to train them. A quick boisterous chuckle came up from Paul before Julio came up and clasped his hand over Paul's mouth…"Shhhh you want us to be caught?!"

Clearing her throat, Mulan approached the duo hiding near the bushes. "You gentleman should get back to camp. Hunter training in the morning." She used every bit of restraint to avoid rolling her eyes at the pair. Robin recruited them because of their swordplay but they were anything but ready. Sometimes, Mulan wondered why Robin picked the people he did.

"Eek… Mulan…I …uhm…My..long pause ..Paul and I are…well.." Julio attempted to stumble through the words even though two men frolicking in the bushes in the way they were are in love.

"My lover and I will see you at camp…" Paul affirmatively declared and that was that. Except for the nauseating flirting afterward from Julio…"I _revere_ how you had the courage to do that.." Ever since that flirt the nickname stuck. And every time she heard it, it brought back memories of Aurora.

**Back to 6 months after Pan's curse lifting**

Mulan shook her head, berating herself for falling into the memory. Dashing into the inn, she had a plan to get the people to rally together to protect the people and the wealth of this small town. That was until she saw the figure again, full armor, take off her helmet and shake her hair out. She kept running directly into a vacant table as she stared into the warrior vixen's eyes.

"Uggh…" She groaned, at first a bit higher pitch then she'd like but quickly fell into character of Murray, she held so close to herself. The group at the inn broke out in laughter as the ever so _stealthy_ duo fell in, making about as much noise as a dragon in a china shop. _ We look like the three idiots in the village. _

Attempting to salvage the situation, Mulan decried in a loud, masculine voice the same message that Revere had before. War was coming.

A silky, smooth, very feminine voice came out of the woman in full plate. "We know…" She chuckled at their feeble attempts and then each peasant took out their hidden arms. "But now that you're here you all might as well help." The room erupted with laughter at their folly as Patrick and Julio had a look of _But how? _ plastered all over their faces.

"Your leader should really meet Joan. She's from the distant land of Arcadia, sent to help us win." A man draped in scholarly finery commented to the group. Patrick, usually the one to take this "role", stepped forward towards Joan and the man shook his head no. "Nice try…It's quite obvious your masked companion is the leader…"

Most of the time, the big brute ruse works. Thankfully Mulan's head covered her facial reactions as she would have been exposed as a lesbian and exposed as a leader no less. Gulping, she had no choice but to step up and lead, wondering what this tribe would do.

_Chapter Two – Still 6 months after to Storybrooke curse_

As she stepped up, Joan turned towards the inn keeper. "Show these two gentleman the finest in food we have to offer. They will need their strength for the upcoming siege." The jolly man and 4 of his servants scurried to meet the lady's demand and the rest of the peasants in the inn became thoroughly distracted in the cacophony of it all. _The celebration before the storm_

Again, it was as if the woman was a mind reader and sensed her hesitation. Either that or her slow walking. "To the back then." She broadly gestured with her arm to follow and Mulan picked up her speed not wishing to anger the woman as it was like she could see through the armor.

The duo found themselves in a large meeting room with a table by it. "Welcome to Orleans. Do you like it?" Mulan scanned the room, and it wanted not. It reminded her of some of the war room she used to try to peek into as a young soldier. Maps everywhere along with varying blocks on the fancy mahogany tables. _To represent the battles I suppose…._

Only nodding, Mulan did not take off her helmet, as is the custom. She only walked close to the board and let her eyes drill into the map, looking for anything she could correct. She had to find a flaw somewhere. Her body and leadership so far flawless, she looked for a scouting error or land error, or some kind of inaccuracy that she could use as leverage. Mulan hated not having all the cards, and this especially was no exception.

"May I have the name of the leader of the fair trio that comes into Orleans?" Joan bowed to Mulan as sign she was a foreign dignitary, someone of high repute. Mulan coughed for a moment, both in shock and to keep her voice deep. "That will not be necessary. I am Murray. From a distant land you may have never been." In order to keep the dignitary role, she stuck out her gloved hand for Joan to shake. Taking it, Joan's eyes glazed over entirely white like a cloud and she stood paralyzed by it. Mulan shook her hard attempting to bring her back to this world's thoughts. When she couldn't, "Murray" let out a large cry.

"Get a doctor…She is not well!" The scholarly man ran into the back as well as a man with a weird bag of some kind. When the both saw her eyes white as a cloud, the gentleman began laughing. The foreign doctor went so far as to tease her: "Never met a half breed seer, lad?"

"Murray" shook "his" still helmeted head. Sweat dropped from her brow. Keeping this disguise is oppressive. Usually she would have excused herself while Paul took the lead but circumstances did not allow it. About 5 minutes later, Joan's eyes returned and she summarily dismissed the others.

As soon as they were out of eye shot, Joan grabbed Mulan's helmet, but did not take it off. Mulan silently gasped and reflexively grabbed her neck. "I know your shackles…" She whispered into Mulan's ears and Mulan let go of her neck and almost fell to the floor. "You must be hot, **sir** knight." The sir was almost like a dagger at this point. Joan emphasized it as if she knew something was off. "I shall get you a bit of water. Take off your helmet and relax a little."

Once Joan left, Mulan looked for a way out. She did not want to reveal what she believed Joan suspected, but the heat just got to be too much. Ripping off the prison, she set it down on an empty chair and felt like she could let things just expand. Mulan took a deep breath and sat down, enjoying her moment of respite. It was brief though as a few instances later, the familiar clank clank clank of heavy metal pounded down the hallway. Hurriedly, she threw her helmet back on and glanced at Joan with the water pitcher as she set it down.

"Murray is a strange name for a lady with long black locks." She laughed quietly and closed the door. "It's almost as if you are ashamed of being a lady. You know I am the leader here and am female, but yet did not reveal yourself." She grabbed a tavern mug from a cupboard in the room and poured her a healthy dose of water. "I know who you are, Mulan. The half seer bit is true you know."

Her eyes felt like shot larger than in those children's comics. Having been exposed and raw, she took off her helmet in front of the beauty before her, but did not acknowledge that Joan was right.

"It's my job to be right about people you know." Joan quipped. "None of these people here are peasants anyway. I came from Arcadia to help the rebels win the war against the Empire. It is a land of many seers and humans, but the two tribes rarely merge. Like your Empire and rebels here. There's a couple of 'half breeds' but nothing more than that." She put her hands in quotes as she said 'half breeds'. "As if by giving us a name with half in it, I am less important." Joan boasted a little bit. "The peasants were evacuated in advance of the army. They have the rebel armor on, doing patrols to the west of here. And just as I am right about this, you will remove your helmet and join me."

Nothing could hide Mulan's confusion his time. Her helmet was off. But what was she talking about by removing her helmet. "Drink" ordered Joan. "Then we shall finish the last bit of strategy."

The refreshing liquid entered her body and she felt revitalized. The woman before her may be half everything in terms of labels, but she was completely awe inspiring. The warriors spent a good thirty minutes strategizing behind a closed door when a loud knock came from the other side. "Madam, the rebel commander requests your presence."

Mulan dashed for her helmet across the side of the room and barely got it on before the door creeped open. None other than Bryce, her former leader, sauntered in. "And I suppose these are the three _skilled hunters,_ you informed me of two days prior." His voice showed disdain and a lack of belief in their skills. "You know, the ones that decided it was best to send two lovebird males rather than a whole army…Tell me! Are you working with the Empire? I do not respond well to liars."

**FLASHBACK**

Of this she knew. The man in front of her almost 50 years old, battle worn and ragged. He was her…commander for lack of a better word. The one who she took orders from while pretending to be a man. The ones that disgraced her when they found out her secret after almost 10 years of faithful service by sending her on an impossible mission. That she should never return as one person was not believed to be able to slay the Yaoguai.

"Mulan, Mulan" The army's second in command shouted in hateful teasing…"Why don't you show us what a _woman_ can do huh? Go clean the kitchen and keep ever invading bug armies from taking over the empire's food…A man has to eat…Or better yet…Go sharpen your sword to cut bread…We all know it is the last you will see of battle." The room joined in and raised their classes in a toast to it, that is before the king's messenger guard came out.

"Mulan, the King wishes to see you now." Grabbing her things, Mulan followed to what should certainly be her doom. In the Empire women are forbidden to touch a sword, let alone yield one. To do so is a death sentence. It felt as if the walls of the barracks she used to love became a visegrip and threatened to expel her soul from her body. The double doors to the king's throne room opened to reveal only the commander and the king. The other guard scurried away as fast as he could not wanting to catch Mulan's "plague".

She followed the appropriate path to the king and bent her head down, waiting for the commander to kill her. As is such the rules. She felt tears betray herself as she did not want to die for only being a faithful subject to the throne. The throne she trusted and believed in that had everyone's best interests in mind.

"On your feet warrior." The King ordered. She stood up but kept her head down, not looking the king in the eyes as is the custom. "You have put me in an awkward place Mulan." He began. "We cannot have women in service, especially not ones that have kissed women in order to keep your image from being found. This realm has banned women in combat roles and men in manufacturing roles for this very reason. To avoid the demon of homosexuality to be found. "

She gulped. There was no way to deny the allegations. To call the king a liar would only slow the death that was to be prescribed. "Yet you are a warrior as you have passed the warrior's test and have not done anything by the letter of the law that is of dishonor. Therefore I must and cannot kill you."

The commander, only a few months older than her, took over the conversation at that point. "However you are bound to my orders. For that which you must follow. For this we charge you with hunting the beast that has plagued our lands. You must remove it and bring back its tail for proof of completion. Without this you shall not be permitted back into our realm and any future cities in it."

Mulan, sentenced to her fate, nodded and grabbed her bag. Seemingly heavier than usual. She would not get to say good bye to any friends she had left. The exile was immediate. If she could bring back the tail, she'd be considered a man in spirit to the law as she fulfilled an impossible task set forth by the king.

When she got to the forest, it was in fact heavier than usual. In it was about 3 weeks of the _imagi_ or small bread that filled a person for days when eating it but took up little space. Along with it was a note. "Rebellion is brewing. I could only save you from death. I cannot order you but in 3 years time, meet me in Tianjin in the place of rebirth. - Bryce"

After what Bryce had done before, she wondered if death would have been a sweeter mercy.

**Current day**

She realized because she was in the enchanted forest and he still in the Empire, Bryce had aged where she had not. It was as if she broke her promise to go to him when she had not. Being stuck in a 28 year long curse has that effect on people. At the time the curse hit though, she wasn't sure if she'd go in the first place.

"Trust me. The last thing I would ever do is work for the empire." She replied keeping the Murray guise intact. Surprisingly Joan played along. "I can vouch for that Bryce." Joan hastily added. "The warrior before you knows where her allegiance lies and it is not for the Empire."

"Your voice sounds familiar, young one." He mused. "Have we met before?"

She shook her head no, intentionally lying to the older man. In her Merry Men's gear she could easily hide that she was not a part of the Empire anymore and get out of "knowing" tradition with him and any respectful bows. Not that he deserved them anyway.

Looking over "his" refusal to take off her helmet, he succinctly stated, "A person always takes off their helm to me, to make sure the best men are in my stead." Murray did not reply and just turned towards Joan. "She is the one exception…I deal with her as I must. The empire must return to its roots. By the people for the people. The Emperor imposes too many restrictions on people."

"Murray" knew he could not reveal himself to Bryce. His hatred seemingly still ran deep. In the deep voice he replied "From my lands, it is improper for the leader to remove one's helm until that trust is known. I shall give you this as a symbol of trust though." Digging into "his" pockets, "he" revealed a flame token and tossed it to him. "It is a momento. Each soldier that receives this has my trust on the battlefield." _And not one second more outside of it…_ She muttered in her head. The flame symbol reminds her to only trust them so far as all fires burn in the Ancient Empire legend. Just like he had her.

**FLASHBACK**

Mulan was careful. Every time the men broke to sleep, she always did so about 100 yards back as part of the rear guard covering the back. Anyone who challenged "Murray's" sleeping position got into an argument. One time it actually came to a duel, but the other soldier lost and no one questioned the status of the guard. Mulan did it alone or with one other person so it became easy to hide she was a woman. Sleeping with her head covered and helmet under her blanket also aided in this charade in case they were woken up suddenly.

That was until that fateful night. It had been one week before the 10th year of service. If she completed this one, there was nothing the kingdom could do. She would be the first honorable warrior in the Empire's history. She curled up in her usual position on the hard clay and put her blanket over and went to sleep. She heard laughter and lots of it upon her awaking and thought she was in another nightmare. The brutal wind chipped at her face and hair cascaded down for Bryce to see.

She immediately tried to set up and go back to sleep and realized this was no dream, instead a real life problem that would not go away. When "Murray" had the best of assignments before, she became relegated to the cook's job by him. Even with her skill, the hatred among Bryce felt great. She was only lucky that he did not execute her as a traitor on sight. That was only because of the fact "Murray" was signed up for the Warrior's Test. Removing "Murray" from the test would put more shame on him than it did her. He would have to explain why "Murray" was in his service all these years as a woman and not found would surely have him stripped of post and money. He'd be a pauper.

"Get up." His voice was clear with anger and disbelief. "Tomorrow you will take the Warrior's Test early and we will go to the capital. I want nothing more to do with you."

Normally a warrior had time to prepare. This was preposterous. It was as if he wanted her to fail and no longer be in the Empire's stead or have life and limb for that matter.

**6 months after Pan curse**

"Very well…" He muttered not wanting to offend the additional help. They'd eventually die anyway, why did he care? He took the token and placed it on the necklace on his neck and walked off.

"Murray" sat back down, happy he was not found to be a fraud by the person who betrayed her once before. Joan attempted to reassure the female warrior. "Don't worry. He's no more a commander than he is a sack of potatoes. The people and army's listen to me. He is only here because he offers his experience. I cannot be everywhere all the time."

Mulan felt agape. She too played into the ruse of male commander but used it to her advantage so she could live as she was. With this Joan continued, almost as if she wanted her to reveal her identity to be easier on her. "You will have to be careful though. He avidly hates females in armor. Something to do with Tianjin almost three decades ago where a female betrayed him. He has these rigourous 'checking' procedures."

_Except when you are that woman and he will kill you on sight._ _By not showing up in the city of Rebirth, because of the curse, she eluded the man's grasp._

Taking off her helmet, she replied to Joan. "You may be a half seer, but you do not know the whole story. I shall need to avoid anyone but you, me, Paul, and Julio from knowing the truth. Should it come out, I will be dead on sight. There is a saying among my people from Sunny a brilliant strategist in the King's Castle. '**Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.'** Since I have not won yet, I shall not take him to war on his hatred just yet."

The warrior's bond was strong within these two. Over the next few days, Joan taught Mulan all of the different ways to hide from the vigilant Bryce's eyes. The duo even pretended to be a couple just so that no one would invade the tent and find Mulan bare. For the first time in a long time, Mulan could finally have a woman by her side and not fret about being exposed. To bad it was a fake relationship though.

** Joan's perspective**

The more the pair spent time together the more Joan wanted to burst at the seams. Most everyone at the camp knew she was attracted to women, so a male in her tent was surely a surprise. Joan's new relationship became the talk of the camp and everyone gossiped about it.

"I mean last time she was so repulsed by the idea of dating a guy the laundry man had a lot of laundry to do." Quipped one of the peasant boys in the inn. "Her and Murray must really be hitting it off and be true love if she spends that much time with a man."

Paul and Julio who happened to be in on this conversation were shocked. Was there another family member amongst the three musketeers? Julio then prodded him for more clarification"You mean Joan is a lesbian?"

To which the soldier snarked back, "She was…at least as much as you and Patrick are lovers. But I guess Murray changed her outlook." Paul and Julio shared similar glances. No one in the town knew that Murray was Mulan yet. Joan took on a lot by being back in the closet and Mulan was none the wiser.

Joan had heard everything and approached the table with caution. "Talking about me again I see? Don't you get enough fill elsewhere?" When he vacated she plopped down with Julio and Paul who spoke with hushed tones.

"What is going on Joan? You seem to be so bold and brazen. I heard tales of how many women you fancied with before in order to find true love." Paul, his confident self, chided Joan.

Joan looked for the first time disappointed in her actions. "It is a must. Let's leave it at that."

"Uh, let's not! That's like wearing white to a battle sister. You ain't going to leave it without some serious fashion emergencies…" Julio's voice always did this little high pitched stereotypical gay man voice on the rare times he was confrontational.

Taking heed from her new found "boyfriend" Joan evacuated this battle. "Another time perhaps. If you must excuse me I must strategize…"

Paul, whispered back to Julio, "She means woo Mulan."

"I heard that! …" Joan shouted back across the room as she continued to walk away. She didn't deny it either.

Oddly enough nothing had transpired between the warriors. The tension was there but Mulan never even so much as kissed or intentionally flirt with Joan in private. She flashed back to when she kissed women to keep up her 'male' cover in the Empire's army and did not want to kiss her as Murray. Joan, on the other hand, was one of the world's biggest flirts.

This time in camp, she had enough. Her gut told her Mulan was a lesbian and they should at least see where this leads.

Garnering flowers from nearby, Joan painstakingly arranged them around the room at the inn, trying to leave off not a single detail. The poppies littered the room and their aroma was overwhelming enough to bring on the deepest of calms. Little did she know that poppies would possibly be the undoing of the warrior.

Mulan walked into the room and then her heart sank as she breathed in the smell from the freshly cut plants. "Are those poppies?" She asked as she crumpled to the floor, breathing but just barely.

** Flashback **

She cooking food alone and as usual nothing was coming. It looked to be a boring night by one's self. The poppy fields around her were warm and inviting and she usually loved how they lulled her into a peace that was rare in these times. Plucking one from the earth she drew in its breath, oblivious to the coming danger that placed a hand over her mouth.

"Not a good scout are you dearie?" Rumplestiltskin poofed up behind her. Mulan then dropped the flower and turned back towards the strange figure. "Stay back!" She exclaimed and drew her sword and pointed it at him.

In a flash it was gone and back in her sheath. "You know that gets old…The Dark One appears and everyone is always so…hostile…When all I give them is what they truly want."

Mulan, not trusting him, ran at him to try to tackle him and he poofed and reappeared behind her. "Now, where was I? Riiight…The Warrior's Test. I heard from someone you're in no position to pass. Well dearie, I have just the thing. He held up a small vial with purple moving crystals in it. This vial will guarantee your success at the Test tomorrow. It will make your body move at peak speeds no one believed possible until now."

Mulan glared at him suspiciously…"What's the catch?" She prompted the dark one for more information, unsure of his motivations.

The dark one cackled on, "This potion will make your true skills visible for 24 hours upon drinking it. However, true love's commitment will be hidden until one is truly in love with one's self. Oh and stay away from poppies, dearie."

Not really having a choice, she didn't want to ask again and risk losing the potion. Without it, she might just be dead.

** 6 months after Pan's curse lifted in Storybrooke **

When Mulan shook Joan didn't know what to do, but acted rather brashly. Grabbing her helmet she threw it on her haphazardly and dragged her into the fresh air out the back door. Coughing she emerged from her stupor once outside the smell of the poppies. "What…what happened?" Mulan rubbed her head and stared at her confused. There was no time to answer though…Battle was amongst us. The scouts were ringing the warning bells of the Empire's invasion incoming. Joan got Mulan's armor and gave it to her and they spent 10 minutes donning their gear for you never go into battle without armor.

Chaos was the word of the day in more ways than one.

** Wicked's Curse Day for Storybrooke – After the episode called The Tower **

"Ugh it's that annoying flyer again…" Doc commented as he pulled it from his shop. A rainbow sticker prominently in the left hand corner was all Kelly saw of the ad before it came down. "Flyer problems?" Kelly asked the doc as she had gone in early for some aspirin. She had an annoying headache but did not know why. She was a video game developer and developed the war games for the town to play with. Maybe one of those lines of code got in her way from her design. It was as she always thought: Victorious coders design first and then code, while failure games code first and then seek to win.

The doc turned to her, wondering why she'd be by at the shop's opening time but let it go. "Yeah. The fringe group of the town keeps putting these up on my windows. Honestly I don't care one way or the other but they have to ask first. Otherwise everyone would deface my shop and I'd be a propaganda machine. They are just trying to put Granny's out of business anyway."

Kelly stole another glance to look at it intently. A rainbow symbol and coffee at 7 pm at the local coffee shop. She hadn't remembered seeing that. Or remembering anything at all really. It was as if she couldn't remember her youth at all. The curse the townsfolk mentioned had lifted but yet here she was the only person who couldn't remember. She kept to herself coding, so she wouldn't have to talk about it. Her small apartment her prison. Her gut told her she should go see this coffee shop and why people were so adamant about not having its words up though.

"Makes sense. Don't advertise until you know what is going on." She replied back and then finished her quick trip to get aspirin.

** Storybrooke – Local coffee shop **

"I don't know why you keep doing this Cassie…" Jerrod turned toward his close friend. "Everyone else has gotten their happy ending since the curse. Maybe yours is just to be happy that you are accepted in the small town. " Most everyone knew that Cassie was a lesbian and Jerrod and Patrick didn't exactly hide their relationship either. The coffee shop was like their Castro district and they reveled in every minute they could be their authentic selves.

Cassie continued to make more flyers that she knew in the heart of hearts would end up discarded or at least removed. "Because….that look you have when you and Patrick smile at each other every morning, I want it."

The rattle of the coffee shop's bell meant the place was serious again, unfortunately. In came Emma almost on autopilot, Granny's coffee in tow. "You know, Joan, I mean Cassie, we have to stop having these conversations…The doc said you put a flyer on his store…pause…again. "

"And of which the town charter has nothing against it and is all for true love." Cassie smarted off while smircking. She took a sip of coffee and then remarked…"Ahhhh the taste of victory in the morning."

Emma glared down at the lady who could be no more than 22 or 23 with the "No you didn't stare" she had been so used to giving people when they lied to her. It's her superpower and all. For all the sass Cassie gave Emma knew in her heart that Cassie was harmless. Besides, she had to figure out how to distract Henry again while they dealt with flying monkeys. "All right, I'll let it go but you have to figure something out soon."

Truth be told Emma liked having to handle sheriff's duties on occasion. It helped keep her distracted from the impending doom and not knowing who the Wicked Witch is. _That's it! _Emma realized that with all the monkey items she was doing she'd have trouble making all the regular patrols, so after school Henry could go talk to people like Cassie, well mostly just the shop, and make sure all is well. Since their true identities didn't involve magic or the supernatural it would be fine.

Emma ran back to the office and found her old deputy's badge and shined it up as best as she could. Meeting Henry at the bus stop, she smiled as she found a solution to Henry's needing a distraction from magic and him being cooped up. "Before you go Henry, I want you to have something." Henry's eyes perked up but didn't really quit watching his video game. "Henry.." His mom's scolding voice came out when he wasn't really paying attention.

After what seemed like forever but was really 30 seconds he looked up at his mom. "I am making you Storybrooke's deputy. The mayor gave me permission." A little white lie. After all she is still the sheriff, but explaining you are a sheriff of a magical town while magical monkeys are taking over while you were a bounty hunter in New York was NOT on the top 10 list. Henry raised his eyebrow in utter confusion…He didn't really know anyone yet about any of the residents why would he be a deputy? "It will be fun! You get to meet people and …pause…. have lots of quiet, uninterrupted gaming time."

"Level 25! I'm in!" Henry swiped the badge faster than she expected.

"Good! Be at The Warrior's Pit Stop after school!" To which Henry nodded and hopped on the bus, soon to be wrapped in his video games again.

** Back to 6 months after Pan's curse was destroyed **

Flames burned all over the town in about an hour's time. The Empire had somehow managed to "know" that this was the right place to be. Mulan was scared that all was lost. Why would a half seer not know this would happen? Three Merry Men had split from Joan temporarily and helped to keep the front lines going as long as possible. And soon after she lost track of time. It felt like hours they were swinging swords against the endless merciless onslaught of enemies and getting nowhere fast. Then, things got worse. They were almost to the town line of Orleans and to the underground bunker where the riches of the town lay hidden. When behind her she heard a massive army kicking its large hoofs.

Thinking it was the Empire and all was lost, she cursed and sidestepped her opponent to investigate the new sound, and if needed figure out the way to prolong her final battle. Instead, she the light shined upon what must have been blessed armor. Nothing ever shown that bright from the Enchanted Forest. Too much mud. In her left hand, Joan of Arcadia held the flag of the revolution in its beautiful glory. The other held her sword pointed upward in the air. "For the people! Charger! Victoire!" The last two words Mulan didn't know, she guessed they were Arcadian but they stirred almost everyone on the field and she now had the power of the revolution at her back. Soon the Empire's invasion force was driven back but they had bigger problems.

After accounting for casualties and people, they took an account of the town. Luckily the buildings were all unhurt except for the temple. The door looked like a bear ripped into it and the inside of the hidden storeroom had a tornado go through it. The group looked for Bryce, since he was guarding the temple, and found his horse conspicuously missing.

"Shit!" Joan exclaimed running over to where she hid the red jewel that they had from a turncoat Empire soldier. Ripping open the jewelry box she instead found a note with a piece of paper inside. "Women do not make warriors…If you're reading this, hope for the precious 'rebellion' is gone. Come to Tianjin in the place of rebirth – so you may meet the same fate as the other female 'warrior' – Bryce Brute"

Worried, Joan threw the box against the wall. "That was supposed to be our way into the main Empire lands…." Julio being his snappy, sassy self mentioned. "You have fashion forward sense, seer sense and you couldn't see his betrayal coming?"

"I'm half seer, not complete seer. Besides, I was a little busy saving your ass." It was sure Joan would fit right in with Julio in terms of quip, that's for sure.

** Storybrooke – Local coffee shop **

Henry did just as his mom asked and hurried to the Warrior after school. His main goal was just to get to playing as fast as possible. Taking a table next to an outlet, Henry plugged in his handheld gaming device and started going at it. He was so "in the zone" he failed to notice that Patrick plugged in in front of him and pwoned him with the text "Look up."

He did rather nervously and saw Patrick giving him this big ol' grin. "I'm Patrick…and you are?" Patrick put out his hand for Henry to shake.

Shaking it, Henry probed Patrick, "How'd you do that?"

Patrick knew he had the boy's attention now. "Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. You help me get set up for tonight and once the events are over I'll show you all the moves I know."

"Deal." Henry shook the older gentleman's hand and Patrick escorted him toward the back room.

"Gumshoe in toe!" Patrick shouted as he opened the back room door slowly. This gave time for Cassie to hide the full plate armor with a blanket and Julio did a quick "straightening" of the room to make sure nothing was too visible yet. "And over here we have the other two people who run the store, Cassie and Julio."

Joan scoffed. "He means he helps. It's really mine. I bought it a few week's back and have been trying to get it going as the underground for all progressive causes in Storybrooke."

"Progressive causes? Is that like homework?" The politics side Henry didn't quite know all the terms yet, which caused the three of them to laugh rather profusely. So much so Julio leaned against one of the tables in the back. "It means things you want to improve or progress on. Like making sure everyone is happy by promoting something." Julio clarified to spare his lungs anymore laughter.

Patrick smircked at the two of them. "Well it looks like we'll be having some help setting up the mikes and stuff tonight." Joan started rummaging through their very messy backroom and found large rainbow sign in the back. "Henry how about you and I set this up? It's really easy and I'll explain to you what's going on."

After that the group kept setting up the music stand and podium and LGBT decorations, which was mostly Cassie keeping Henry distracted doing simpler things and Patrick and Julio did the heavy lifting of tasks that could not use magic. Usually it took about 5 minutes to step up, took them 2 hours right up until almost starting time. Little did they know they'd have two visitors tonight.

**6 months after Pan curse**

"But what do we do? How can we stop him? If he takes that jewel to the king all of our advantages will be gone!" Patrick was not thrilled at this new turn of developments.

Mulan, turned her head down towards the ground, knowing what she must do. "I must go after him." She said almost like it was a final death sentence for herself.

"What?! Are you insane? We need to send the army after him or at least a small platoon! We have no idea where he's going and have to cover our bases?" Joan questioned Mulan as if she said the world was a child's chew toy and not a place where enchanted people live.

With a somber weight, Mulan put her helmet on. "I know where he's going. The city of rebirth. He's going to do something so horrendous that the revolution will be the least of our problems and I'm the only one who can stop him. Julio, Paul, reform the musketeers with Joan." She sprinted out of the room before anyone could argue or stop her.

When they tried to follow, the town cut them off and forced them to stay through diplomatic means. Mulan was right. Joan couldn't abandon the town to hunt for a secret betrayal and Julio and Paul were men of honor, bound by their word and could not leave the town wanting.

**Current Day Storybrooke – The Warrior**

Usually Kelly stayed in her quaint little apartment and coded the night away. No politics to deal with there, and with a company of one her honor was always held high. Something about the flyer though made her want to check it out. When she got inside, Adele's "Chasing Pavements" blasted through the speakers at a sound much too loud and inside Cassie, Julio, and Patrick were jamming to their hearts content oblivious to the person coming in and Henry was about to join them and bumped directly into Kelly.

"Oh sorry!" Henry turned toward Kelly with a very apologetic look where as the companions smiled big. Someone actually came to this! _More flyers are getting posted screw the stupid town meetings!_ "And you are?"

Kelly stared at him quizzically for a moment as then she remembered, _The boy doesn't remember any of us._ "Kelly." She smiled at him but didn't stick out his hand for him to shake or anything like that being a quiet type. Soon after that music cut out and the deafening silence stopped the magnificent trio in their tracks. Patrick and Julio rushed toward the thing and attempted to beat it into shape and Cassie just stood there frozen like a deer in the headlights.

"Cassie, the Phillips so we can look at this thing? " No response came from the bewildered young woman. "Cassie!" Julio shouted a bit louder.

Kelly unplugged the stereo before giving them the screwdriver. "You sure you know what you're doing? You could get hurt you know." It took a moment for Cassie to process what had happened. At first her beauty stopped her from acting, but then it was what happened that stopped her. Her long lost Mulan had come into the shop, but hadn't recognized her and walked on by. It was as if "Kelly" didn't know that "Cassie" is Joan.

Patrick and Jerrod turned towards the young lady, recognizing this too is Mulan, Jerrod excused himself quickly and flimsily. "You know…Cassie here is really good at some of this stuff and I have to go fix the coffee machine…"

Patrick quickly followed "I have to help Jerrod and show Henry that video game move…". Tugging on Henry's jacket sleeve the three of them hurried off to the back of the store and spy on the two 'love birds'.

***6 months after Pan's curse ***

Mulan had been on the road for a couple of days now. The nonstop riding was taking its toll. But it had to be done. She had to get to Tianjin before Bryce did. She knew he'd stop to showboat for a night. That would enable her to catch up but no more. She was not used to fighting an offensive she had to win but was doomed herself to failure. There was always another way. The only other time things felt so hopeless was when she almost cut down the beanstalk for Emma to enable herself to rescure Auror….

She refused to feel that pain again. Angry, she kicked her steed to run faster and faster oblivious that she was almost in the town. Awakened from her zoned out state by sounds of a carriage, she pulled back on the reins hard and was almost bucked from the mighty horse but thankfully released in time.

The guard of the town looked at her quite puzzled and said "Papers for the dignitary ball please?"

_SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!_

"Today's password is 'Zodiac'" She attempted to play off as if she was an undercover cop. Otherwise if he didn't buy it her only option was to ram those gates and having a whole town of guards after you on a stealth mission, not so fun.

The guard hadn't heard that in a long time. "I …I …I need to check this with my boss."

Mulan then tried to get an air of superiority when she was really bullshitting the guard. "You do that. 'Til then I will be at the Circle."

Because of her bluntless the guard gave the signal to open the gate and completely forgot about checking in with his superiors.

One obstacle down she climbed up to the rooftop of a nearby inn and started jumping across to the inn nearby building that the king used to meet his secret agents. By jumping on the rooftops she avoided the massive guards on the ground. The art of building jumping was taught last 30 years ago so they had no worry of anyone doing it now. After an almost miss on the last building she collided on the roof with a loud thud. None of the guards stationed nearby could see her though when they looked and she breathed a sigh of relief.

The thing about waiting is that sometimes your mind takes you to places you'd rather not like. On the side of the roof her hand ran over a familiar divot she made with her sword as she was first learning. She reached into it hoping the group had not found the ancient Empire's dagger of justice there. The myth behind that dagger was that it would only kill a betrayer of the kingdom with the Chinese word "Zìyóu" (Freedom) muttered before each kill. She remembered how it took the only friend who was a girl she had because the girl made the mistake of not returning the queen's perfume to prepare for her date with a gentleman caller. The thought of women dating sent a shiver down her spine as she thought of her and Joan. She wanted nothing more than for Mulan to be here. But the leader of the revolution could not go down for treason. She wanted nothing more than to hold her hand and kiss her goodbye. The reality was that this knife while it will take Bryce's may just kill her.

She did not have time to quell her fears however as Bryce sauntered up the steps with a big grin. "If I use the jewel to get the legacy armor, the kingdom is mine…" Sure of what she had to do, Mulan stared at Bryce and whispered "Zìyóu" and threw it at his heart. A perfect hit. It soared straight through his heart and then instead of falling to the ground like a normal dagger it turned around. Closing her eyes Mulan prepared for her fate. The dagger nicked her wrist and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Only to wake up in a jail cell with a guard pulling at her helmet…"Come off you!" He screamed while one foot was against the wall for leverage and his two hands were pulling at the sides of the helmet. Mulan uncontrollably screamed.

**Back to Storybrooke**

"So you're a video game developer then?" Cassie questioned Kelly to try to get her to open up more. Each time Cassie handed her a tool and felt her soft skin it is a constant reminder of what almost was.

"Yep ever since I can remember…which quite frankly is not that far back. Dr. Wail says that I have some case of amnesia, maybe from a traumatic event. I can't remember anything before a week ago." Mulan's/Kelly's voice pushed her into those times when she gave up behaving erratically and on what she "felt" and fought wars only she knew she could win. Joan/Cassie started listening to the seer half of herself she had long since ignored except when she had to to save her skin.

Kelly felt like she could trust this woman. Trust felt like a rare thing to her but Cassie felt right. Normally she wouldn't have told people she was an amnesiac and she would have stayed in her apartment being the creepy girl that always has her food delivered. It was just that same "ping" almost. Like the flyer and now her. Something good but weird was going on and about to change.

The door threw open with a start. Zelena barged in through the door again. "It was bad enough you have to promote this crap in town, but now you're actually spreading it to someone?!" Zelena's voice rose as she glared at 22 year old. "You know this isn't natural and do it to showboat…Why don't you just go dating men in this town you big dyke."

_So that's what I felt…._Kelly always wondered why her dates with guys never really worked and now she knew why. But to have the truth be so wrong? So evil…_But I'm not evil I'm not unnatural…What is going on?_

The look of panic on Kelly's face was not a good sign. Patrick and Jerrod busted out of the back room and confronted Zelena. "Look, I already told you. You aren't welcome with your homophobic ways…Get out!"

Having done the damage she wanted to cause she faked being frustrated about leaving…"Fine!" She waved her hands dramatically. "But just you wait and see! This town will see how 'Wicked' you are!"

That was indeed the plan. Frame Joan of Arc for being a witch…Her morality is far from perfect…They will burn her at the stake. Stomping out of the store, she hid her smile of success from everyone.

_I have to go after her! Emma made me a deputy!_ Bursting out of the store, Henry rushed after Zelena, unaware of her pure evilness. The four adults ran after him once they realized he got out of the store, but not until the five of them saw magic….And two of them were utterly freaked out.

Cassie turned her head to check on Mulan and it wasn't hard to miss her face of terror. Remembering she and Henry both haven't seen magic she played along…"I…..I …think I need to see Dr. Hopper."

Patrick and Julio looked at her like she was mad and then at Henry and thought _ohhhhhhh yeah…._

So the 5 of them were marching to Dr. Hopper's office at 10 in the evening instead of taking Henry home. Their night was just beginning.


End file.
